FACT Accreditation Awarded to the 300th Organization!
In the first month of 2022, and FACT’s first month as an independent organization, FACT reached 300 accredited facilities including blood and marrow transplant programs, independently accredited apheresis centers and cell processing laboratories, and cord blood banks!
While this is an exciting milestone for FACT, this is more so a tribute to the 300 organizations who have achieved the prestigious accomplishment of FACT accreditation. Accreditation is not a lifetime distinction, and programs must undergo renewal inspections every three years (with some COVID-related delays). Many of these programs have continued accreditation for decades, maintaining a required level of quality through personnel changes, Standards revisions, and growth in the field in general. Some have just been awarded their accreditation certificate, marking a period of introspection, learning, and documentation that is customary to the initial accreditation cycle. Others span the two – emerging as leaders in their own rights as they nurture a quality of culture to maintain accreditation.
FACT’s volunteer inspectors played a huge role in this accomplishment. With an average of 3 inspectors per inspection, around 900 inspection assignments were required just to award the initial accreditation to these 300 organizations. Some organizations are working on their eighth accreditation cycle, which makes the math almost overwhelming. THANK YOU to our volunteer inspectors. You are the eyes and ears, and the heart and soul, of FACT!
We also want to recognize the FACT Accreditation Services team, who work tirelessly to support organizations seeking renewal or initial accreditation. Kudos to the following team members, who made this accomplishment possible:
- Suzanne Birnley, MS, MBA, Manager
- Sarah Litel-Smith, BSMT (ASCP), Supervisor
- Stacy Freeburg, Accreditation Coordinator
- Gino Liu, MS, Accreditation Coordinator
- Adria McCallie, CHES, Accreditation Coordinator
- Meghan Quinn, MS, Accreditation Coordinator
- Nancy Schulte, MA-CCT, Accreditation Coordinator
- Magaly Unruh, Accreditation Coordinator
